Connections: Operation

Project planning for connections proceeds from general statements to more exact specifications. The first step is simply to define that certain connection points are connected to one another. The precise wiring paths and connection materials are defined later.

Using connection definition points, information can be assigned to each connection, e.g. connection point designations, cross-section / diameter, connection color / number, connection designation, etc. This connection data can be reported and output in forms.

In the connection properties you specify whether the connections you are dealing with are cables, wires, jumpers, wire jumpers, saddle jumpers, or busbars.

Generate connections

Autoconnect lines are automatically drawn on schematic pages as soon as two connection points of components or connection symbols are precisely opposite one another. You can use connection symbols to specify the course of the connections.

Note:

Autoconnecting initially generates only a graphical line, not a connection with data. For certain actions (e.g., opening a page) the connections are first automatically updated. In doing this, new connections are generated based on the available information or existing connections are updated. You can also manually call up the update of connections at any time.

Define connections

Connections can be defined in different ways:

Via connection definition points (manually set, or automatically set in connection numbering)
By crossing a cable definition line
By comparing source and target in connections already defined by cable definition lines (automatically generated cables)
By specifying default values (i.e., the connections inherit their properties from the potential or the project).

A connection inherits the connection point type from the function connection points when it is created, but you can change that later.

Display connection properties

Connection properties can only be displayed on connection definition points.
You can render individual properties invisible for any definition point. If, for example, you only want to see the connection number for a certain definition point, but for another one you want to see the connection color, you can render the other properties invisible. The symbol itself allows you to render it invisible. This way you can specify the information that does not have to be visible in the printout.

Additional properties that directly display the connection data can also be placed on the connection definition points. Certain properties (e.g. the Cross-section / diameter) will then exist twice: once directly from the definition point and once indirectly from the connection. Indirect properties are sometimes only fulfilled once the connections have been updated.

The display settings for a connection definition point can be saved in a user-defined property arrangement. Such a property arrangement can be used as the default for other, new connection definition points. When you save the property arrangement, you can decide whether the arrangement should be used for "normal" connection definition points and for those added via the connection numbering, or for connection definition points created when cable definition lines or shields are drawn. Please note that user-defined property arrangements are only available for components (in this case connection definition points) with the same symbol variant.

Enter and edit connection properties

Connection properties can be entered and edited in the connections navigator or at connection definition points. The connection properties of both placed and unplaced connections can be edited in the connections navigator.

If data is assigned to a connection outside the graphical editor (e.g. in the connections navigator or via external editing), this is written back to all definition points in the schematic belonging to this connection. If there is no connection definition point, a new connection definition point is automatically placed at one or more unique locations.

Connection properties can only be globally edited in the connections navigator (e.g. with regard to several representation types of a connection). Global editing of connection definition points is not possible - neither for different representation types of a connection nor for several connection definition points on a connection. It is, however, possible to select several connection definition points and edit them at once (block editing). The modifications will then be saved for all definition points.

For placed connections it is not possible to change the source and target (i.e., the connection direction) in the property dialog of the connection. The connection direction (source and target) in the property dialog can only be changed for partial connections (i.e., if only one connection point is placed).

Interrupt defined connections

If a connection with a connection definition point is interrupted by another component, the connection data only remains on the end where the definition point is located. A new connection without special properties is generated on the other end.

Partial connections in macros also retain their data if a connection definition point with connection information is included in the macro.